[D2, MM] Day After the Night Before (Open-ish to Men)

[OOC: This is set up for me to build on my meeting of Ser Jon Roxton last night, but I see no reason why others cannot join if they wish. Just let me get the initial conversation out of the way. This has already been discussed with Reader.]

Nathan slipped into the bathing area quietly. As he'd expected. The boisterous Knight was already there, soaking away the dirt and weariness of his long travel the night before. Nathan noted the man was exceptionally fit and the scars he'd gained in battle did not detract from his physical appeal;
quite the opposite. Of course, the man's attraction came as much from his personality as his looks. Someone who enjoyed life as much as he, and pursued it with such zeal could not help but infect others with his enthusiasm.

"
I'm sorry, Ser Jon. I had no idea anyone was here."
Nathan lied. "
Would you like me to give you some privacy?"

Ser Jon Roxton smiled, recognising Nathaniel from last night's carousing.

"
Not at all - Nathaniel wasn't it? That was a fine duck last night to dodge that punch!"


The bold young knight smiled warmly - he had not drunk so much the night before as to be hungover. He was a free spirit who lived life fully, rather than a gourmand and had the physical fitness to prove it. He has a light brown beard covering his face but closely shaved. His is a wiry strength that speaks of quickness, rather than the brute force of other famous knights like Ser Benjen Frey or Lord Bracken.

"
I wonder if any of our fellow survivors from last night's fund and games will be awake this early?"

"
I am sure there are many awake that wish they were not."
replies Nathan blandly as he pulls off his clothes.

The young man is shorter than many although still an inch or so away from his full height. His body is neatly compact, balanced between agility and athletics, although given his fine bone structure it's obvious he will always run lean. He slips into the water and sighs contentedly.

"
Will you be going on the hunt today?"

"
I would not miss a hunt in such fine company!"


Jon sank deeper beneath the water, sighing contentedly.

"
That said, it is not my true calling. Getting gored ahead of the melee would be a poor showing."

"
I'll be honest, I've never understood noble hunts. They are supposed to be good sport, but I am not sure what sport there is in an army of men killing a boar."
grins Nathan broadly. "
Still, I suppose anything can be fun if your in the right company."
Nathan settled back and smiled softly. "
Please don't get gored. I'm looking forward to watching you in the melee."


Intrigue

Disposition: Amiable
Objective: Friendship
Initiative: Eloquent
Intrigue Defense: 9
Composure: 9

Disposition: Amiable
Objective: ???
Initiative: Irrelevant
Intrigue Defence: 11
Composure: 9

"
How do you think you will fair in the melee? Your reputation precedes you, but there are many excellent fighters here."


[url=Ser Jon-Exchange 1-Persuasion (Charm)][/url]: 4d6 [url=BoA][/url]: 1d6 +1 15

1DoS (4 Composure before DR)

Ser Jon take on a more focused air - he may know how to have fun but fighting is serious business.

"
Ser Benjen Frey is strong but I'm quicker. Lord Haig Bracken is stronger still than the ferocious Frey and a better swordsman to boot."


"
Then there are the Kingsguard - some claim they're to fight, others that they will remain by their royal charges."


"
Ser Alayne Tarly and Ser Harbert Baratheon are not present - neither can abide the other. Both have the blend of stamina and speed needed for the melee."


"
Ser Florian Greysteel is skilled, if I weren't fighting I'd wager a few silver on him, but the chaos of the melee can throw up unusual champions."


The knight was no fool however, he seemed to be pondering something rather than rattling off a list of combatants.

Disposition: Amiable
Objective: ???
Initiative: Irrelevant
Intrigue Defence: 11
Composure: 8 (9)
Action: Consider

"
Well, I am no warrior, so I am not one to judge, but I might not be so quick to bet on Ser Florian if it rains the day of the melee."


Disposition: Amiable
Objective: Friendship
Initiative: Eloquent
Intrigue Defense: 9
Composure: 9

[url=Ser Jon-Exchange 2-Persuasion (Charm)][/url]: 4d6 [url=BoA][/url]: 1d6 +1 +2 BoA 22

3DoS (12 Composure before DR)

Jon laughs at the joke.

"
I fear it will take more than rain to rust Ser Florian and I don't have time to wait for age to wither him. I shall need to uncover another stratagem!"


He signal for the servants to pour more hot water.

Result: Bold Jon Roxton is defeated, disposition improves to Friendly, Nathaniel has +1D to Persuasion and deception in their next intrigue.

As he looks at Ser Jon, Nathan's eyes sparkle and his smile has just a touch of wickedness. "
Perhaps it might be better is one or two of them did rust. I can think of a couple of hedge knights that would make better lawn ornaments than they do fighters."


[OOC: Nathan spends a DP to shift Bold Ser Jon Roxton to Affectionate.]

More laughter, warmer still this time from Jon.

"
You're more droll than most. Come to my tent tonight and I'll share the pick of the day's hunting with you."

Nathan grins broadly. "
Thank you Ser Jon. It would be my pleasure!"


[OOC: I have nothing more to do here, If Ser Jon does not, then we are good. We can leave it open in case there are others that wish to interact with me or Ser Jon. (I can always excuse myself if they want a private word with Ser Jon)]

[OOC: sounds good]

A rough, baritone voice, says "
Gooday, gentlemen"
, as the enormous, naked figure of Leifnarr Longshore enters the room.
Almost non-curant of the others, he enters the waters, apparently tormented by a genuine need of relaxing himself in the hot bath.
He is probably in a urge for preparing himself for some formal occasion...

Leifnarr seems to be not very embarassed by being naked in such a situation, certainly due to a long habit of sharing small spaces in raiding ships for a long time.

His appearance makes him in deep contrats with the others, even with Roxton and his many scars.
The dimensions of Leifnarr's body and the evidence of his rough muscles make him certainly more similar to an old oak than to a man made of flesh.
But it is the number of scars that attracts the eye.
They make pretty clear that this man has survived wounds which would have dismembered a person of lesser constitution and, furthermore, even if most of them are clearly battle scars, there is a also a number of signs coming from other, less clear sources... possibly ship accidents, and maybe even torture, if those long lines of the man's back speak of a whip.
Who knows which adventures has this beast of a man survived....

"
It was a fun night, yesterday"
Leifnarr comments, as he keeps on washing his body...

"
It was!"
smiles Nathan. "
And at least we three seem little the worse for wear. Welcome. My name is Nathan."
The young man does not introduce Ser Jon, assuming that most know who he is and that the Knight would easily correct the situation if he was wrong.

"
And mine is Leifnarr, young man!
I've seen you yesterday, but we did not met.
I guess both of us were more than busy with drinks!"


And staring towards Ser Jon the big Ironborn says:
"
While I well remember you and your men, Ser.
Good fellows for sharing ale!"


Leifnarr seems to openly avoid speaking about the role he had in turning a possible knife fight between Ironborn and Roxtons into a rough but friendlier drinking context...

"
I'm afraid the Gods did not bless me with Ser Jon's capacity,"
chuckles Nathan, "
or yours I don't doubt."


The young man openly regarded the large man's scars. Scars fascinated him, although he had no desire for any of his own. Not so much the scars themselves, but the story behind them. Between the man's scars and his size, Nathan would feel decidedly inferior if he didn't have a large amount of self-confidence to make up for it.

"
I presume you are here for the Tourney, Leifnarr. Are you a spectator or participant?"

"
I'm here for my house interests and I'll certainly parcipate to some competition, although you'll not see me in the joust."


Stretching his big hand Leifnarr says:
"
Unfortunately this has been made more for wielding and axe than for handling a horse's brindle.
Ironborn have other talents...
But what about you, young man? Will you participate or will you just watch?"
.

"
Oh, I am definitely a spectator, and I will do so with great interest. The melee seems to be shaping up to be especially interesting."


Nathan leans back and closes his eyes, but continues to speak. "
Ironborn? You had the look of one but I didn't want to assume. I meet a very charming Ironborn in the market yesterday, Yoren Longshore."
It was only after he'd said it that Nathan realized Leifnarr might not appreciate another Ironborn being called 'charming', no matter that it was the truth.

..and, in fact, the word "
charming"
caused some kind of disgust to appear in Leifnarr's eyes.
Whether the Disgust was direct to Nathaniel (for making that kind of pervert comment) or to Yoren (for having given such an impression) it is difficult to say...but it's just a second, or a fraction of it, since a boisterous laugh breaks up the tension:
"
Ah! You just met my nephew, the weirdest one of my kin.
He may have bothered you with all of his girlish chatting!
By the way, you have also met the only one of my family who will be jousting, as odd as it could seem for a Longshore.
He is a very odd boy, but also a very bold one, and he'll hopefully bring glory to the house."

"
Aye Leifnarr, it was a grand night! An auspicious start to the tourney."


Jon too avoids discussing the narrowly averted knife fight, the children of win having been either disowned or forgotten in morning's light.

Leifnarr Longshore wrote:He is a very odd boy, but also a very bold one, and he'll hopefully bring glory to the house.

"
I have no doubt that he will."
replies Nathan with conviction. "
And while he may be unusual for an Ironborn, I expect he will be of great value when dealing with the other Houses of the Riverlands. It is good you will have someone in the joust. As I am sure Ser Jon can attest, most of the Houses south of the neck put great store on the contest and the pageantry. A good showing in the joust will likely turn many eyes towards House Longshore."
Nathan's carefully neutral tone gave no indication whether that was a good or bad thing.

[OOC: I want to try this, just to see how it plays out.]

Intrigue

Objective: Service (Convince Leiffnar that Yoren Longshore will be of great service to his House)
Disposition: Indifferent (DR 4)
Initiative: Eloquent
Intrigue Defense: 9
Composure: 9

[Opening Yield] All I am looking for is a +1 step in Disposition from you towards Yoren. I don't know what your current disposition is towards him, but if your fine with that I'll give a a +1 Disposition bump with Nathan for being receptive.

ooc:
Disposition: Indifferent (DR 4)
Initiative: YOURS!
Intrigue Defense: 11 (first round, later 9)
Composure: 9

Tell me your rolls and then I'll go on with my stuff after you!

Action: [url=Leifnarr-Exchange1-Convince][/url]: 5d6k4 [url=BoA][/url] 20

2 DoS (6 -4 = 2 Composure)